In far northern offshore well drilling and/or production locations such as in the Arctic, a layer of ice of substantial thickness forms during the winter months, and in many cases such operations can be carried out best from the surface of the ice. This means that such operations will be carried out on solid ice but that below the ice a layer of unfrozen water will be encountered before the surface of the earth is reached.
Should any liquid or gaseous material which is lighter than water escape from the earth's surface or from pipe in the liquid water, these escaped materials could be, unless special steps are taken, free to spread while being protected from surface access by the ice layer.
Accordingly, when drilling and/or production operations are carried out when the ice layer is present, it is preferable to have some pre-arranged means and method for capturing fugitive hydrocarbons and the like that may reach the water layer between the ice and the earth's surface.